Ezra F. Kysor

Ezra Frank Kysor (1835-1907) was an American architect from Los Angeles, California. He is believed to be the first professional architect to practice in Southern California.

Ezra Kysor was born on August 6, 1835, in Cattaraugus, New York. Around the age of thirty, he traveled west to Virginia City, Nevada.

Upon his arrival in Virginia City c.1865, Kysor established himself as a carpenter. He may also have maintained an architectural office. By 1868, however, he had settled in Los Angeles, California, as an architect.

He practiced alone until March 1875, when he established Kysor & Mathews with Walter J. Mathews (1850-1947). This firm was dissolved in April 1876. He was again alone until 1879, when John F. Hennessy (1853-1924) became a member of Kysor & Hennessy. Hennessy, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1875 or 1876, left Los Angeles for Australia in late 1880.

Upon Hennessy's departure, Kysor made his chief draftsman, Octavius Morgan (1850-1922), a member of Kysor & Morgan. In 1886, John A. Walls (1858-1922) was added, the firm becoming Kysor, Morgan & Walls. It was around this time the Kysor began to withdraw from practice, to focus on real estate speculation. He retired from the firm completely in 1890, which became Morgan & Walls.

He was married to Clara Perry. They had a son, Charles H. Kysor (1883-1954), who was also an architect.

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